Vending-machine.



R. H. MORGAN.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 513.25, 191sy Lggm Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT l.

R.- H. MORGAN. VENDING MACHINE.

APFLIUATION FILED FEB.25, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETSHHBBT Z.

SWW: 1 se 13 pNiTED sTATns PATENT onirica.

ROBERT H. MORGAN, 0F PITTSBURGH, EENNSYLVANIA.

VENDNG-MACHINE.

To all whom, t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT H. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is directed to an improve` ment in vending machines and comprehends specifically a coin control mechanism constructed to require the introductlon. of a plurality of coins to permit the operation of the device.

The main object of the present invention `is the provision of a vending machine designed particularly for the vending of stamped. envelope wherein the introduction of a plurality of coins are necessary to secure the delivery of the article desired, the construction providing a simple coin control which requires the introduction of all of the required coins before the delivery mechanism can be operated.

The invention in its preferred form of details will be described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a View in elevation illustrating the improved coin control delivery apparat-us, parts being shown in inoperative position, Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts shown in operative position, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4c is a section on line 4-11 of Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coin holding lever, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the push bar.

Referring particularly to' the accompanying drawings, 1 represents a casing in which the various parts of the device are arranged, it being understood in this connection that no detail of the delivery mechanism is shown herein as such is reserved for future application.

To the inner wall of the casing at an appropriete point is arranged a coin chute 2 having a width and length to accurately rceive the coins for which the machine is designed. Directly underlying this chute is a coin tube 3 and this tube forms one of the important features of the present invention. The coin tube is of a length accuratelyv con- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 25, 1913.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Serial No. 750,619.

l forming to the combined diameters of the number of coins required to operate the par ticular machine, three such coins being required in the present instance. The coin tube is positioned directly below and in accurate alinernent with the coin chute, being, however, spaced therefrom to permit the operation therebetween of the detail parts ot' the operating mechanism.

LL represents what I term a lockingslide comprising two plates 5 arranged in spaced relation and secured together by upper and lower cross strips 6 at their respective ends. The locking slide is positioned in upper and lower guides 7 fixed to the casing whereby said slide is adapted for reciprocating 1novement along a predetermined line. The plates 5 are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of the coin chute and coin tube and are so positioned that a coin dropped into the coin chute would travel edgewise therethrough and through the coin tube if otherwise unobstructed. The end edges of the plates 5 of the locking slide are formed with slotted ways 8 and 9, the former opening through what will be termed the forward edges of the plates 5 and the latter through the rear edges. Coincident with the slots 8 in the locking slide one wall thereof is formed with a laterally offset housing 10, said housing extending lengthwise the slide coextensive with the slots 8 and accurately registering therewith, as shown.

An operating bar 11 is slidably mounted in guides 12 secured to the casing, the forward end of the bar fitting into the slots 8 in the locking slide, as shown. One edge of the operating bar projects into the housing 10, and said bar in this projected portion is formed with a slot 13 engaged by a pin 14 passing through the upper and lower walls of the housing. A push bar 15 is slidably mounted in guides 16 secured to the casing, said push bar being in alinement with the operating bar and the rear end of the push bar/fitting in the slots 9 in the locking slide.

A. coin holding lever 17 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the casing, as at 18, the said lever passing through a slot 19 in the push bar. A coin holding bar 20 is connected by a pin and slot connection to I the lower end of the lever 17, said bar 2O vent the further bein supported so that the end remote from the tliever 17 will underlie the free or delivery end of the coin tube 3. The free end of the push bar is connected to a link 21 to a delivery bar 22 pivoted at its upper end at 23 to the casing and connected at its lower end to any appropriate means, as 24:, to effect the delivery of the articles in the operation of the bar. y

An operating lever 25 is pivoted in the casing overlying the free end of the operating bar, the upper end of said lever projecting through a slot in the casing and having.

a handle '26 whereby it may be operated. The lower or free end of the lever 25 passes through an opening 27 in the free end of the operating bar, said lever above' its pivot being connected by a springv28 with an appropriate part of the casing whereby when released said lever is maintained at normal position. Below the pivot the operating lever is connected by a positivelyacting connection 29 with a slide 30 and designed when said lever is operated to pass beneath the lower end of the coin chute and thereby preintroduction of coins through said chute.

Secured to the casing 1 at one side of and in alinement with the upper end of the coin tube 3 is a shelf 31, said shelf being designed to form a closure for the opening between the lower edges of the lockingslide when the latter is in operative position, as will later appear. A

Assumingthe parts from the construction and arrangement described and a machine designed for the delivery of a stamped velop for which there is required the introduction of three pennies the operation is as follows, it being understood that one penny is initially introduced into the machine before the first operation thereof. Under these f conditions and the normal ositions of the parts the lever 17 is so positioned that the ar 2O underlies the coin tubevand prevents the delivery therefrom of the single penny previously introduced as shown at 32. In this type of machine the coin tube will have a length equal to the combined diameter of the three coins necessary to operate the machine. From the above description it will be obvious that the manipulation of the operating lever 25 will simply move the opererating bar back and forth, as the latter under the infiuence of the operating lever can only slide far enough in the locking slide to reach the inward limit of the slots 8 but cannot impart any movement to the slide. In operating the machine the three required coins are dropped in succession into the operatingl chute, two of the coins as 33 passing into the coin tube. and together with the initially' introduced coin 32 completely lilling the latter and the third coin as 34 resting on the upper edge of the top withdraw the bar-2O from beneath the coin tube, permitting the three coins held therein to be delivered into the coin box beneath.

The coin 34 locking the slide operating bar and push bar together for movement in one direction is held against escape from the locking slide by the shelf 31. Upon the return of the lever 25 to normal .position-the endof the slot 13 engages the pin 14 to restore the parts, the push bar being restored by the delivery bar through the usual restoring mechanism of the delivery apparatus, not shownl When the parts have reached their normal -position the coin 34 is free to drop into the coin tube thereby forming the initial coin for the support of the subsequent coins introduced for the next operation. f

It will be obvious from the above construction that the coin control may be effectively operated by any desired number of coins, the sole requirement being that the coin tube 3 be of a length to correspond with the number of coins to be used.

The device forms a simple construction which may be readily applied to any coin delivery apparatus 1n which a number of previously introduced coins, an operating bar freely movable in the slide in one direction, a push bar freely movable in the slide in one direction, the final coin held in the slide serving to form an abutment between the proximate ends of the push bar and operating bar, and means for supporting the potin in the slide in the operation of the a ter.

. 2. A coin control for coin operated vending machines including'a coin chute, a coin tube having a length corresponding to the Y diameter of the number of coins to be used, y a movable slide interposed between the coin chute and coin tube to receive the linal coin delivered to the machine, said final coin be- 13o ing supported within the slide solely by the I previously introduced coins, an operating bnr freely movable in the slide in one direction, a push bar freely movable in the slide in one direction, the iin-al coin held n the slide serving to form an abutment between the proximate ends of the push bar and operating bur, and a shelf arranged beyond the coin tube to support the operating coin in the slide during movement of the slide. lo Tn testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT H. MORGAN. Witnesses:

GEO. B. NloKEL, JOHN JOINER. 

